London Fashion Week
Simone Rocha A/W 2022
Words Amie Elizabeth White
Simone Rocha has solidified herself as one of the most exciting and evolutionary designers to showcase at London Fashion Week. Fairytale femininity is married with function then twisted with gothic flair to produce collections that modern women can’t wait to wear. As we took our seats in the medieval hall in London’s Inns of Court, it felt as if Rocha had planned the winds of brute force that had surrounded us before entering, literally whisking us from our daily life into the story that she was no doubt about to tell us.
The narrative was inspired by the Irish tale, Children of Ire¸ in which the four daughters and sons of an Irish King were turned into swans by their jealous stepmother. As the collection unfolded before us, shapes and shadows reminiscent of their influence were indisputable, but acclimatised perfectly with Rocha’s signature style. As always, ballooned sleeves and voluminous skirts were ballasts of the collection. Taffeta was tailored into coats, some with braids that twisted over arms and followed behind like Rapunzel’s locks. It was stitched to ruche and pleat, forming bows atop fabric that billowed below. Utility came in the shape of leather jackets, cargo pants and shorts, each chosen to tuck and turn with the black satins or white shirts that commanded more space and attention. Each look was broken up by another layer of fabric in a different shine or structure. Sheer dresses were worn atop gingham shirts, and a flash of torso broke up the heaviest velvets of sapphire and onyx.
But not a single look was lost from the influence. “Wings” of ruffled fabric fell from shirts and jackets. Tight knitted hoods with crystal embroidery surrounded faces to give a bird-like crown. Pointed platforms turned feet into beaks, with wet-look trainers on some and fringed flats giving a “feathered” look to complete others. Of course, as the swans in the story were of royal descent, there was never a better excuse to adorn each look with droplets of rubies or crystals or pearls.
The colours were kept to a palette of blacks, greys and whites, with a blue velvet coat and hint of peach later down the line. But the minimal yet poignant pigment of use was the red. Appearing as gems around the neck, then as a squiggle on a dress, and then as a latex cape atop a ruffled white skirt. It was a reference to the darker elements that are etched in every fairytales core, and a reflection of Rocha’s ability to twist darkness into her effeminate styles season after season.
Layer after layer, look after look, Rocha spun a ready-to-wear tale of magnificent but manageable proportions. The collection was nothing short of a fairytale, and once again, Rocha proved that London Fashion Week is a stage for her story.
